LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers made official the move that was first reported on Wednesday with the signing of Edinson Volquez to a major league contract for the remainder of the season. Volquez was activated before the Dodgers' game Friday night against the Padres.
Manager Don Mattingly said the plan was to have Volquez, who last pitched for the Padres in a start on Aug. 23, to pitch out of the bullpen at first. But eventually Volquez is slated to make a few starts for the Dodgers, though it's uncertain exactly when that will happen.
"We have to get him on the mound first before we do anything. It's not like we feels like he's a setup guy, but we've got to get him out on the mound first against major league competition," Mattingly said. "He's pretty much been a starter his whole career. He'll start in the bullpen, then we'll figure things out."
Volquez has started 149 of his 153 major league games. He will wear No. 30 with the Dodgers.
To make room for Volquez on the active roster the Dodgers optioned Chris Withrow to Triple-A Albuquerque, though the move is only temporary as the Isotopes' season concludes on Monday. Withrow can be activated as soon as Tuesday, when the Dodgers are in Colorado to face the Rockies, and because the minor league season is over doesn't have to wait the normal 10 days when optioned.
Mattingly did say Withrow would actually go to Albuquerque, and wouldn't commit to exactly when the reliever would be activated, but then again Mattingly is almost always cagey about transactions that have yet to occur.
"We'll talk about future moves when they happen," Mattingly said.
The Dodgers' 40-man roster is now full.
Notes
- Mattingly said the plan for Matt Kemp was to continue his minor league rehab assignment through Sunday with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. After that Kemp will be reevaluated and could possibly be activated as early as Monday.
- Mattingly teamed up with doubles partner and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt to advance to the third round of Clayton Kershaw's charity ping pong tournament on Thursday night. Mattingly and Honeycutt defeat a team of Withrow and Andre Ethier. "Then I had to send [Withrow] out. Bad day for him," Mattingly joked.
- A film crew from MLB Productions will be following the Dodgers around all weekend against the Padres for the next episode of "Mission October," a 30-minute show which will air on Fox Sports 1 on Monday at 4:30 p.m. PT.